TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN). — On a chilly Wednesday morning in January, hundreds of volunteers are waking up early to conduct the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count.
The count helps determine how much funding homeless solutions programs will receive.
“By getting up really early in the morning in January and going out and just feeling the coldness and the darkness awakens you to reality of how a lot of people are living in our community," Corrie Brinley explained. She is one of the organizers for the PIT count and is also a researcher at the University of Arizona.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires the survey aspect of the count, Brinley said.
"On the local level, the data helps us understand the demographics of those who are homeless and help us understand maybe why they aren't accessing shelters," Brinley explained, "so then we can better shape the programs to help them."
The night before the street count, volunteers and organizers conduct a corresponding shelter count.
The 2024 count identified 2,102 people in 1,503 households residing in shelter, transitional housing, or living without shelter in Pima County on the night of January 23, 2024.
Brinley explains that the count does have some flaws.
“Sometimes there's someone asleep on the ground and we’re calling out to them and saying hi, are you awake, and if they don’t rise we’re not going to go and shake that person awake or touch them," he said. "There's definitely data that’s lost.”
Brinley said that they will never force anyone to wake up if they're asleep- and answering their questions is completely voluntary.
If they do participate in the survey, it will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Participants will receive a $10 McDonald's gift card as a thank you.
“Sometimes you realize that the differences aren’t so small. Right? That maybe you’re not that far from being or having the same experience that they are- you know losing a job, losing a spouse, becoming incredibly ill and losing your home… these are people that we think of as very different than us but really they’re our neighbors who have gone through some hard times," Brinley said.
Organizers aim to have 400 volunteers when the count takes place.
Results are expected to be available around June or July of this year.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
